Sporting Legends Share Their Stories at Teatro Leal
The inaugural I FID Ciudad de La Laguna drew a large crowd at Teatro Leal, where sports icons shared their uplifting and challenging experiences.
First to take the stage was Lydia Valentín, the Olympic weightlifter. Returning to a place she considers home, she expressed her emotion at the warm reception from fans. In conversation with journalist Oscar Herrera, she reflected on her early days in a sport that faced skepticism and shared the struggles of a serious neck injury that nearly forced her into early retirement after the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Valentín spoke candidly about the pressure of maintaining success. “The hard part isn’t just reaching the top, it’s staying there,” she said, recalling how some of her Olympic medals only came years after her competitions. “We knew there were cheats in our sport, but we couldn’t do anything.”
Next, Olympic champion Saúl Craviotto captivated the audience with his journey. The canoeist recounted his unlikely rise to fame, including his victory on MasterChef despite having no cooking experience. He likened the pressure athletes face to “trying to catch a high-speed train,” noting that success is a fleeting opportunity. He addressed questions about his potential participation in the 2030 Olympics, emphasising his desire to compete for medals rather than just to participate.
Closing the event was local hero Pedro “Pedrito” Rodríguez, who reflected on his illustrious career, which included stints at Barcelona, Chelsea, and Roma. He shared amusing anecdotes from his early days in London, including being thrust into a starting role just two days after arriving. Pedrito noted that while club victories were significant, nothing compared to winning the World Cup with Spain. “It’s something that stays with you for life,” he said, hoping the current squad can achieve similar success.
The I FID Ciudad de La Laguna will continue on Sunday with appearances from tennis legend Alex Corretja, World Champion basketball coach Pepu Hernández, and CD Tenerife president Felipe Miñambres. The event is supported by the San Cristóbal de La Laguna Council and various sponsors, including the Canary Islands Government and local businesses.
